This invention relates generally to a cable retention apparatus for a power supply, and more particularly, to an apparatus for preventing a power supply cable from being removed from the power supply of an electronic device.
Electronic devices, such as computers, utilize power supply cables to receive power for operation. Typically, one end of the power supply cable is plugged into the power supply of the device and the other end is plugged into a power source. Computer networks, such as the Internet, utilize electronic devices that require a continuous supply of power for managing resources for one or more users. That is, these devices must always be operating so that the needs of network users are met. An example of one such electronic device is a server which may be used to store files on a network.
A server typically contains a power supply which receives power from an associated power supply cable. The power supply in turn, supplies power to other devices in the server requiring power such as disk drives. The devices in the server may also be hot-swappable so that they may be exchanged without removing power from the server. Larger computer networks require multiple servers which may be stacked together in a rack (i.e., rack-mounted) to save space.
Access is gained to a rack-mounted server (e.g., for hot-swapping a disk drive) by pulling it out from the rack. When a server is pulled out from the rack, however, strain is placed on the power supply cable. The strain may be increased if there are several devices mounted in the rack in such a fashion that the power cables become entangled. As a result, when the server is removed, the power supply cable may be unintentionally removed from the power supply, thereby resulting in an unexpected loss of power to the server and downtime for the network.
Other types of electronic devices also suffer from similar power loss when the power supply cable is unintentionally removed from the power supply due to excessive strain. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an apparatus for retaining a power supply cable in the power supply of an electronic device.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the present invention has been made.
In accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention, the above problem is solved by a cable retention apparatus for retaining a power supply cable in the power supply of an electronic device. The power supply has a receptacle for holding a power supply cable. The cable retention apparatus consists of an arm which is pivotally connected to the power supply. An integrated locking member extending from the arm is used to engage the arm with a portion of the power supply cable when the arm is pivoted from an unlocked position away from the cable to a locked position with the cable so that the cable is prevented from being removed from the power supply.
In accordance with one actual embodiment of the invention, retaining brackets, which may be either attached or integrated with the power supply, may be used to receive the ends of the arm to enable the arm to pivot towards the power supply receptacle. In accordance with other embodiments of the invention, the electronic device containing the power supply may be a rack-mounted server computer.
These and other features and advantages, which characterize various embodiments of the present invention, will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are illustrative and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.